One Season of Sunshine by Julia London

Author:Julia London [London, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

21

Are you going to stay, Jane?” Riley demanded when Jane stepped back to the table after asking Nicole if they could catch up later.

“Stay?”

“To play Chutes and Ladders! Dad and Levi are going to be a team if you will be my partner. Will you stay?”

Jane hesitated. Today, in the pool when they’d been playing Marco Polo, Asher’s bare, muscular chest and surfer shorts riding just below a trim waist had had her believing she’d need to drive off a cliff to keep from launching herself at him. She didn’t think hanging out with him was the best idea. Actually, it was a very bad idea, but she was like a kid in a candy store lately—she couldn’t help herself. Jane had thoroughly enjoyed this day. The kids were in great spirits and she’d actually seen an endearing side of Asher, a softness and attention to his kids that surprised her.

“Please?” Riley begged.

“Don’t press her, honey,” Asher said and stood up, picking up his plate as he did. “She probably has plans.”

“You don’t, do you?” Riley asked.

“Actually . . . no,” Jane said, mentally kicking herself for being weak.

“That means you’ll play, right?”

Jane looked at the three of them looking at her. “Okay,” she said, to which Riley and Levi both shouted yay. “But on one condition, Ri. We have to win.”

“We’ll crush them,” Riley said, pumping her fist.

“Are you sure?” Asher asked Jane. “I don’t want to keep you.”

“I think you’re afraid of a Riley-Jane team.”

“Ha!” Riley cried.

Asher chuckled. “Maybe a little. All right, you two,” he said to the kids. “Let’s get the kitchen cleaned before you take down the game.”

“I’ll get it!” Riley shouted and was quickly out the door, Levi on her heels.

“Hey! Carry stuff to the kitchen!” Asher called after them, but they were already racing upstairs. He glanced sheepishly at Jane. “My kids are spoiled,” he sighed.

Jane laughed, picked up their plates, and carried them into the kitchen after Asher.

He opened the dishwasher and groaned. “It’s full. I’ll have to wash.”

“I’ll help.”

“No,” he said sternly. “You are off duty and we’ve imposed enough as it is.”

“Let me dry,” Jane urged him. She opened a drawer and withdrew a dish towel. “I can’t stand here and watch you like some guest. That would be weird. And besides, I have the towel,” she said, holding it out for him to see.

Asher looked at the towel. “Never argue with a woman and her dish towel,” he conceded. “Thank you. And thanks for today,” he added as he filled the sink with warm, sudsy water. “I think the Price family needed that.”

“A pool party?”

Asher smiled, his green eyes soft. “Time to be a family without any demands on us. It was fun.” He leaned around her and picked up a plate from the island.

Jane felt that little flutter in her belly again. She wished he wouldn’t move so close to her. She hoped he’d do it again.

“It’s cool you can stay,” he said. “I thought you might have some work to do tonight,” he said.

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